Nephrolithiasis, better known as kidney stones, are a hard, crystalline mineral material formed within the kidney or urinary tract. Kidney stones form when there is a decrease in urine volume and/or an excess of stone-forming substances (such as mineral and acid salts) in the urine.
While a kidney stone will not produce symptoms until it passes into your ureter, the symptoms following are very painful. Some of the more common symptoms can be severe pain below the ribs, in lower abdomen and groin; pain on urination, persistent and small amounts of urine, nausea and vomiting.
If you experience any of these symptoms, make sure to call us at Adult & Pediatric Urology, LLC at (505) 327-9111 immediately to take any actions possible, while the stones usually cause no permanent damage, they can lead to excruciating pain.
Depending on your situation, you may need nothing more than to take pain medication and drink lots of water to pass a kidney stone. In other instances — for example, if stones become lodged in the urinary tract or cause complications — surgery may be needed.
Your doctor may recommend preventive treatment to reduce your risk of recurrent kidney stones if you’re at increased risk of developing them again.
If you experience any of these symptoms or are concerned about contracting another kidney stone, contact us at (505) 327-9111 and we can set up a plan to ease your pain and prevent future pain.
